1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mini-tablets or granules from which effervescent beverages, bath water and liquid formulations of various types can be prepared. The mini-tablets or granules are prepared such that effervescence commences and finishes within desired time frames.
2. Related Art
The art of products that effervesce when introduced to water or aqueous liquids is a crowded one. Typically, anhydrous products are prepared which, when introduced into a body of water—whether it be a glass or bathtub or something in between, effervesce to release carbon dioxide, which may help disperse the functional materials prepared with the effervescent materials into the liquid environment. In many cases, effervescence is deliberately introduced to capture consumer interest. This type of effervescence is desirably controlled by the duration of the effervescence. In the environment of a cold beverage, less than about half a minute is too little, more than about 2 or 2.5 minutes and the consumer interest is waning. In other environments, shorter durations are preferred.
The duration of effervescence is also controlled, to some degree, by the temperature of the water. A variety of medications and palliatives are available where the water is provided and is warm or hot (near boiling). In such situations, speed of delivery is more critical, and effervescence may perform a functional role, in distribution of the functional elements of the composition, instead of, or as an aid to, mechanical mixing. Thus, in warm water, the duration of effervescence may run from about 10-90 seconds, and in hot water, from 5-45 seconds.
The anhydrous products are typically formulated as powders, granules or tablets, in increasing order in terms of time to dissolve. U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,439, Forman, is representative of this art. Forman is focused on the preparation of effervescent granules, which release their effervescence quickly, but not as fast or energetically as powders. Neither the duration of the effervescence release, nor the density of the granules prepared, are set forth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,603, Rau, explains in more detail how effervescence can be employed to distribute functional elements of a bath composition more thoroughly than purely mechanical mixing. The material of this patent is prepared as a tablet, but neither the size nor the density of the tablet—nor the duration of its effervescence, is set forth.